Maternal Diet, C-Reactive Protein, and the Outcome of Pregnancy
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To examine the association of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), a systemic biomarker for the inflammatory process at entry to care, with pregnancy-induced hypertension/preeclampsia, adverse outcomes of pregnancy, and the maternal diet. DESIGN: Random sample (N = 520) with normal glucose tolerance from a large prospective cohort study of urban, low income, minority gravidae. RESULTS: During pregnancy, the highest tertile of hsCRP (range, 7.06-137.41 mg/L) was associated with significantly increased risks for early preterm delivery ( CONCLUSIONS: High hsCRP is a diet-related biomarker for serious complications and poor outcome in lean women with normal glucose tolerance.